English Premier League Transfers: Top 8 Rumors of the Week

The transfer rumour mill has been in full flight in recent weeks, but very little has come of the stories circulating on the blogosphere and in leading international newspapers.

So while Barcelona has sealed an important move for Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez, some of England's biggest clubs such as Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have not been able to make many significant additions which could boost their first teams immediately.

Perhaps this is because the clubs are now in full preseason swing with tours to emerging football regions on the agenda for most Premier League teams. Perhaps their management just feel uneasy about paying transfer fees which, if several reputable media reports are to be believed, are absurdly inflated.

But football is a multi-billion dollar industry, no longer just a sport and short-termist appeasement and investment seems to have taken hold over any long-term visions some sporting directors may previously have held.

This week, the biggest rumors seem to concentrate, somewhat inevitably, on forwards. So we have news of Manchester United's attempt to hijack Tottenham Hotspur's advances for a Montenegran international, newcomers Swansea Town on the verge of hiring a goalscorer and Newcastle United looking at England international frontman Peter Crouch.

Perhaps the biggest and most exciting rumour suggests that Atletico Madrid and Argentina forward Sergio Aguero is set to fly into Manchester to agree a move which would see him link up, at least temporarily, with compatriot Carlos Tevez.